I'm not trying to come across as a google fanboy, I'll criticize them as appropriate, but I think this is an awesome feature. I appreciate their effort to try and coexist and be compatible with...
I'm not trying to come across as a google fanboy, I'll criticize them as appropriate, but I think this is an awesome feature. I appreciate their effort to try and coexist and be compatible with iOS/Apple, rather than taking the full "fuck you outsider" walled garden ecosystem approach that Apple does. Among the things tech giants get right and wrong, stuff like this is nice to see.
The blog post seems to specify Android to iOS, I'm curious to know if it will also work in the other direction?
A fitting time to read The Internet Con, or at least to read up on it's core point: The tech giant's walled gardens exist primarily because of legal structures rather than technical feats....
A fitting time to read The Internet Con, or at least to read up on it's core point:
The tech giant's walled gardens exist primarily because of legal structures rather than technical feats. Eliminating these structures and specifically allowing malicious interperability allows more people to compete.
This interop is how these giants got giant in the first place. It's time for us to allow the small players without legal departments do what Google has done here.
I mean, that's rather par for the course, with Apple. The only time I can think of the two working together cooperatively, outside of things the EU forced them to do (RCS), would be COVID contact...
I mean, that's rather par for the course, with Apple. The only time I can think of the two working together cooperatively, outside of things the EU forced them to do (RCS), would be COVID contact tracing via bluetooth. Although it was a geolocked feature that so few locations supported, it wasn't widely know/used.
Edit: Although it would (in my opinion) be a very Apple thing for Apple to now change the way their AirDrop works just to break compatibility with Android.
It appears this is possible because Apple was forced by the EU to implement the Wi-Fi Aware standard - which they co-developed, but in typical Apple fashion didn't adopt. This would also mean that...
It appears this is possible because Apple was forced by the EU to implement the Wi-Fi Aware standard - which they co-developed, but in typical Apple fashion didn't adopt. This would also mean that Android's Airdrop implementation won't function with Mac's, since Apple isn't being forced to implement the standard there.
There are other benefits consumers could see as a result of the underlying Digitial Markets Act:
iPhone users will have enhanced possibilities to receive push notifications including pictures on their non-Apple smartwatch and reply to these notifications.
iPhone users will also be able to pair their non-Apple connected devices such as headphones and smartwatches more seamlessly and easily with the iPhone.
Non-Apple devices such as virtual reality headsets will benefit from better and faster data connections with the iPhone.
Developers will be able to integrate alternative solutions to Apple’s AirDrop and AirPlay services on the iPhone. As a result, iPhone users will be able to choose from different and innovative services to share files with other users and cast media content from their iPhones to TVs.
Edit:
The article's author could be wrong on this. A developer claims that Apple still only uses their proprietary protocol for Airdrop. If that's the case, then Google did reverse engineer it, and Apple could potentially shut that down.
Is this limited only to devices running the full Google stack, or is this a part of AOSP? I'm guessing, by the priory / early access for Pixel devices, that it's the former.
Is this limited only to devices running the full Google stack, or is this a part of AOSP? I'm guessing, by the priory / early access for Pixel devices, that it's the former.
Early access for Pixels might be due to their receiving monthly updates direct from Google, one of their unique selling points, ...though given how "Open" AOSP has become, I strongly suspect...
Early access for Pixels might be due to their receiving monthly updates direct from Google, one of their unique selling points,
...though given how "Open" AOSP has become, I strongly suspect you're correct
Probably want to add to the title or something that it's only Pixel 10 and above! I didn't read the title of the article and tried to airdrop to my roommate yesterday only to realize my Pixel 8...
Probably want to add to the title or something that it's only Pixel 10 and above! I didn't read the title of the article and tried to airdrop to my roommate yesterday only to realize my Pixel 8 Pro isn't compatible yet.
It seems like such a small thing, but this will be huge for our blended family.
OS heterogeneity is the new diversity.
I'm not trying to come across as a google fanboy, I'll criticize them as appropriate, but I think this is an awesome feature. I appreciate their effort to try and coexist and be compatible with iOS/Apple, rather than taking the full "fuck you outsider" walled garden ecosystem approach that Apple does. Among the things tech giants get right and wrong, stuff like this is nice to see.
The blog post seems to specify Android to iOS, I'm curious to know if it will also work in the other direction?
Yes, it's bidirectional.
https://9to5google.com/2025/11/20/android-quick-share-airdrop-pixel-10/
A fitting time to read The Internet Con, or at least to read up on it's core point:
The tech giant's walled gardens exist primarily because of legal structures rather than technical feats. Eliminating these structures and specifically allowing malicious interperability allows more people to compete.
This interop is how these giants got giant in the first place. It's time for us to allow the small players without legal departments do what Google has done here.
Wait, that's awesome. What the hell. I hope this works on more devices in the future.
Guessing these are the EU interoperability laws at work?
Uh oh.
I mean, that's rather par for the course, with Apple. The only time I can think of the two working together cooperatively, outside of things the EU forced them to do (RCS), would be COVID contact tracing via bluetooth. Although it was a geolocked feature that so few locations supported, it wasn't widely know/used.
Edit: Although it would (in my opinion) be a very Apple thing for Apple to now change the way their AirDrop works just to break compatibility with Android.
Hence the uh-oh. The only reason why they might not now is that the DoJ still has an open case against them.
It appears this is possible because Apple was forced by the EU to implement the Wi-Fi Aware standard - which they co-developed, but in typical Apple fashion didn't adopt. This would also mean that Android's Airdrop implementation won't function with Mac's, since Apple isn't being forced to implement the standard there.
There are other benefits consumers could see as a result of the underlying Digitial Markets Act:
https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/questions-and-answers/interoperability_en
Edit:
The article's author could be wrong on this. A developer claims that Apple still only uses their proprietary protocol for Airdrop. If that's the case, then Google did reverse engineer it, and Apple could potentially shut that down.
Is this limited only to devices running the full Google stack, or is this a part of AOSP? I'm guessing, by the priory / early access for Pixel devices, that it's the former.
Early access for Pixels might be due to their receiving monthly updates direct from Google, one of their unique selling points,
...though given how "Open" AOSP has become, I strongly suspect you're correct
Probably want to add to the title or something that it's only Pixel 10 and above! I didn't read the title of the article and tried to airdrop to my roommate yesterday only to realize my Pixel 8 Pro isn't compatible yet.